Hygroscopic implement



Jan, 11351925 1523,322 A. wAL'roN HYGROSCOPIC IMPLEMENT F'led July 16, 1925 ZZ ffl/Erv ZZ a pf 1;/ 1

Z4 "Z1 M26 Z6 g5' g5 "ZZ f Patented Jan. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.`

ALBERT VALTON,` OF NAPA CUN'IY, (.'LAII'JIIF'RNIA,V ASSIGNOR TO CAROLINE S. WALTON, `OF NAPA, CALIFORNIA.

HYGROSCOPIC IMPLEMENT.

.To all whom t may concer/n.:

Beit known thatI, ALBERT WAL'roN, a citizen of theV United States, residing in the county of Napa and State of California, l have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hygroscopic Implements, ofv

which the following is a specification. p

This invention relates to devices for ascertaining the approximate degree off moisture in the soil at variousdepths, and has for one of its objects to provide a device ot' this character of improved construction and increased eiiciency.` y

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaacter which may be employed for ascertaining the`condition of the soil at various depths without structural change in the implement.` l

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel 'features of construction as. hereinafter .shown and described andthen specifically pointed out inthe claims, and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention. i p

y Figure 1` is a vertical sectional elevation.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line-B of Fig. 1.

Fig.` 4 a modification in the construction.

The improved device comprises a container, preferably formed of a section of piping-.10 having a plurality of transverse apertures 11 and with a closure reducing coupling 12 at the lower end a cap 13 at the upper end, the latter having a constricted threaded opening to receive a guide tube 14 preferably of less diameter than container 10. t v

Thecontainer may be of any desired size and length, butwill ordinarily be a section l of a two inch gas or steam piping and the guide` tube of a section of three-fourths inch piping, but these dimensions may be varied as occasion requires.

Disposed in the container is a suitable hygroscopic element such as a portion of wood cut across the. grain and indicated conventionally at 15. Practice has shown that a section of eucalyptus wood answers the purpose, but any substance or material which will expand when moist and shrink when dry will answer thepurpose.

The hygroscopic element is of less length is a vertical section illustratingl 1923. Serial N0. 651,853.

than the container 10, and preferably resting on the element is a bearing plate 16.

Resting at its lower end upon the plate 16 is a rod 18 which extends upwardly through the guide tube 14 and likewise loosely through a cap 19 engaging the upper end of the guide tube.

The rod 18 is enlarged at the lower end as shown at 16 and engaging the rod and :l'iiring upon the enlargement is a washer A coiled spring 17 may be arranged betweenV the washer 16 and the inner face of the cap 18, to provide the stop necessary `to take the thrust of the spring and so 'force the rod down on the element 15.

Attached at 20 to the cap 19 is a plate 21 carrying a graduated segment 22.

Pivoted at 23 to the plate 21 is a pointer device including a relatively long arm or finger 24 movable over the graduations on the member 22 and a shorter portion 25 engaged by the upper end ofthe rod 18, as shown.

A small spring 26 operates to maintain the shorter arm 25 of the pointer yieldably in contact with the rod 18, and return it to initial position when the rod is lowered by the action of the hygroscopic element. Thecontainer 10 is designed to be embedded in the soil indicated at 27, to any required depth, with the outer end of the guide tube 14 and its indicator device above the upper surface of the ground, as shown. The guide tube, therefore, must be of sufficient length to enable the container 10 y to be embedded to any required depth.

lIn employing the improved device, an

`opening is made in the soil where the degree of moisture is to be ascertained, for instance by a post hole auger` or the like, and the container with its guide tube inserted in the opening, and the space between the walls of the opening and the smaller guide tube 14 filled in with the earth as indicated at 28. The moisture in the soil is absorbed by the element 15 and swells it and thus imparts pressure to the rod 18V and thence to the pointer 24, and indicates the degree of moisture upon the graduated scale 22.

If the soil contains no moisture, then the element 15 will not be swelled, and this fact will also be noted by the non-movement of the pointer.

Thus an indication is given of thev condition of the soil immediately surrounding the container, and by making a plurality of the openings at diflerent pointsand inserting the implement therein, the condition of the soil` 'at the various locations may be accurately ascertained.

It desired a plurality ol' the improved implements may be employed in openings at the same time in spaced relation, and at various depths.

Any element whose shape or size is changed by the absorption ot' moisture may be employed as the hygroscopic elei'nent,and it is not desired to limit thedevice im any manner in this respect.

In Figure 4. slight modification in the construction is shown, consisting in dispensing with the plate 16, Washer 16 and spring 17 and seating the rod 18 directly on the hygroscopic element l5. In theinodilied structure also the form of the plate 2l with its graduations Q2 is slightly changed and a swinging pointer 29 substituted for the member 24--25 shown 'in Figs; l and Q.

This modification does not constitute a departure from the principle ot the invention.

The preferred embodiment ot the inventionA is disclosed inv the drawings and set vforth in the specication, but it will bel understood that modifications within the scope of the claims may be made in the construction without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any oi' its advantages.

Having' thus what is claimed as new is l. In a device of the character described, a perforate cylinder providing a container, .said container having one end closed, areducing coupling upon the other end of said container, a guide tube of less diameter than said container connected thereto by said coupling, a substantially elongated hygroscopic element positioned vertically within said container, a plate having a `graduated scale thereon, means carried by said plate Jfor threadably securing the samein vertical position uponthe tree end of said tube, an indicating .finger pivotally supported by said plate securing means :for nun'ement across the scale ot said plate, a rod member supported on end upon said Iiygroseopic element and extending through and beyond said plate securing means and engaging under said linger to movel the same across the scale upon ixpansion or described the invention,

contraction of said element, and spring means carried by said plate engaging said finger and normally tending to cause the same to oppose the upward --mo'vement of said rod. l y i 2. In a device ot the character described, a pl-zriorate cylinder providing a container, said container having one end closed, a reducing coupling yupon the other end of said container, a guide tube of less diameter than said cylinder connected thereto, by said coupling, a lhygroscopic element positioned vertically'within Vsaid container, a plate having a graduated scale thereon carried at the'other end of 'said tube, an indicating ingerpivotally snpported labove the end of said tube for movement across said Scalea rod member having one end supported upon the other end -ot said elei'nent and extending through and beyond the outer end ot said tube and contacting with said linger toumove the same across the scale upon expansion or contraction ot said element, a Washer carried at the lower end o l: said rod, and an expansible" spring` positioned between said nasherand the lower end of said tube acting to force said rod downwardly'against' said element.

'3. 4In a device ot the character described, a perforate cylinder providing a container, said container*having` one, end closed, a, reducing coupling" upon theV other end of said container', a guide tube oit less 'diameter than said cylinder connected thereto by said coupling, a' hygroscopic element' positioned vertically Within'said container, a plate having a graduated scale `thereon carried at the other end of said tube, an indicating finger pivot-ally supported above the end of said tube for movement across said scale, a rod member having one end snpported upon theother end of said element and extending througdiv and vbeyond the outer end of said tube and contacting "withsaid finger to move the same across the scale upon expansion or contraction ot said element` a Washer carried at the lower end of said rod, an expansiblespring positioned between vsaid washer and the lower end of said tube acting to force said rod downwardly against said element, and spring means v-arried bysaid plate engagingsaid linger and normally tending to canse the` same to oppose the'upward movement ot said rod..

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature hereto.

ALBERT WALTON. 

